Resilient car wheel



April 30, 1940- T. N. FRlTzscH 'y 2,199,287 I RESILIENT CAR WHEEL Filed May l, -1939 2 Sheets-Sheet' l April 30, 1940 T. N. FRlTzscH-l 2,199,287

RSILIENT CAR WHEEL Pamesa Apr. so, 1940 I UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ICE nasiunm can man Theodore N. Fritsch, Johnstown, Pa. Application my 1, Issa-serial No. A2117,14: s man. (c1. 295-11) This invention relates to wheels of-the type having a metal tread adapted to run on rails and having interposed between the tread and the axle resilient members for cushioning shocks and lessening noise when in operation,

Wheels of this general character are broadly old, and the present invention relates to the structural features recited in the claims which will be apparent from the following detail disclosure, when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: l l v Figure 1 is an elevation of approximately half of a wheel .embodying the invention; f Figure 2'is a similarhali elevation of a slightly modiiied embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3 is asectionlon line III-III of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section on line ure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section illustrating an alternative detail of construction; and

Fig-ure 6 is a similar detail illustrating a further alternative construction.

In wheels of the prior art of the general type to which the present invention relates, resilient material, generally rubber, is mounted adjacent the two outer sides of the web of the wheel and the inner sides of two plates secured to a hub.v Such prior art arrangement necessitates an expensive hub assembly. Moreover, due to the fact that the wheel web is surrounded on its two largest surfaces by rubber, heat generated by rolling4 and skidding is retained in the wheel structure for a considerable length of time. This tends to have a deteriorating effect on the rubber or other resilient cushions. Upon deterioration of such resilient cushions, a wobbly and unsatisfactory wheel results.

The improved wheel-oi the present invention is so constructed and arranged that one entire of Figside face ofthe web of the wheel is exposed to Y the air and thus effectively facilitates the dissipation of heat set up in the wheel structure. This results in an improved wheel bylengthening the service life of the cushion elements.

The wheel comprises a metal rim or tread portion adapted tov ride on the rail, an inwardlyv extending web which is apertured at the center of rotation oi the wheel to permit relative radial motion with respect to the axle or shaft of the hub carried by the wheel, a hub having a radially extending annular web spaced from the rim web, and cushion members which are interlocked with the hub web on opposite faces thereof, all of the cushion members being located on one side of the rim web. 'I'hus one entire side of the rim web is exposed to the air so as to facilitate the dissipation of heat. 'I'he rim web has a number of cantilever extensions extending 'laterally which pierce the cushion members and pass through apertures in the hub web. l These y cantilevers carry elements for compressing the cushion members in assembled relation with respect to the hub web and the rim web. 10 Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral l0 represents the wheel axle, the end I2 of which is reduced in diameter to provide a shoulder i4 and the extremity of the axle is provided with a threaded shank I6 for the re# l5 ception of a nut I8 which coacts with a washer 20 to hold the wheel hub 22 on the axle portion i2 and against the shoulder i4. Extending radially outward from the hub 22 there is a hub web 24.

A wheel rim 26 having a suitable rail engaging ange 28 is provided with a rim web 30 which is disposed in laterally spaced relation with respect to the hub web vby -a resilient cushion or cushions. 1n the embodiment of the invention 25 illustrated in Figure 1, the cushion 32 is in the form of an annular washer-like ring being apertured at 34 to permit relative movement between it and the hub 22, In the embodiment loi the invention illustrated in Figures 2 and 4, the 30 cushions, instead of being of annular or washerlike form', are in the nature of a plurality of separate units, indicated at 32a. These cushions may be of suitable circular or polygonal shape. Figure 2 illustratesv cushions of hexagonal cona5 tour, this shape having the advantage that a plurality o! separate' cushions can be cut from iiat stock with a. minimum amount of waste.-

Regardless of whether the annular cushions of Figures 1 and 3 or the separate cushions of 4o Figures 2 and 4 are used, they will have metallic face plates 8B and 38 bonded thereto. The cushions 32* will have similar plates 36 and 3i!a bonded thereto.

Located for coaction with the outer vface of 45 the hub web 24 are cushions 40 and 40' quite similar to those designated at 32 and 32". The cushions 40 and 4h` have bonded thereto metal= lic plates 62 and 44 and 42L and 44; respectively.

The rim web carries a plurality of cantilever studs 48 which may be screwed theretol and locked by nuts 48, as shown in Figure 3, or which may be formed as an integral part of the web structure. as indicated at 48* in Figure 6. The 55 cantilever studs pierce suitable openings formed vin the cushion members and in the metallic plates bonded thereto, as clearly illustrated in the drawings. In some cases the plates 38 and 42 will be formed with laterally extended sleeve portions 50 and 52. These extensions engage suitable apertures 54 formed in the hub web 24 and thus may be said to dowel the cushions to such web. Each dowel stud at its outer end carries a washer 56 and a nut 58, and when the several nuts carried by several cantilever studs are screwed home; they serve to place the cushion members in the desired state of high compression. With the cushion members held in such a state of compression in an assemblage such as shown and described, the hub web and rim web are firmly held in such away that a load applied to the assemblage will be absorbed by the rubber in shear with the aid of or acting through said studs.

Figure 5 illustrates a slightly modified construction of cantilever stud 45h which is provided with an enlarged collar portion 46 having a iillet portion 46d connecting the collar portion with the shank. In this modified construction the cushion plate 36 will have an aperture 36e of a size to make a snug t with said collar portion.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the detail construction and arrangements of the described structure provides means whereby `one entire side face of the rim web is exposed to the air. In this way the wheel assemblage diiers from structures of the prior art wherein the rubber cushion elements engage both faces of the web. The `improved wheel provides for exployei.

I claim:

Ying' web, cushion members interlocked with the hub web on opposite faces thereof and all located on one side of the rim web, whereby the en-l tire opposite side of the latter is exposed to the air to facilitate dissipation of heat, and cantilevers extending laterally from the rim web piercing said cushion members and passing freely through apertures in the hub web, and means coacting with said cantilevers for compressing the cushion members.

2. A Wheel of the character described comprising a circular rim having an inwardly extending web, a hub having an outwardly extending web, the rim web having a central opening of a size to permit radial movement thereof relative to the hub, the inside diameter of the rimbeing suiiiciently greater than the outside diameter of the hub rim to permit such relative movement, a series of cantilever studs secured to said rim web, solid cushions of resilient material disposed on opposite sides of the hub web but all located on one side of the rim web, whereby one entire side face of the latter is exposed to the air to facilitate dissipation of heat, saidcushion members being pierced by said studs, and means carried by the studs for compressively integrating the cushions with said hub web and said rim web.

3. The wheel of claim 2 further characterized by the inclusion of thin metal plates bonded to the faces of the cushion member adjacent said hub web, said thin plates having portions interlocked with the hub web, a thicker plate engaging the outer face of the cushion member remote from said hub web and nuts screwed on said cantilever studs acting through said thicker plate to compressively integrate said cushions with said hub web and said rim web.

THEODORE N. FRITZSCH. 

